Page 39 of Defended
The sweatpants were too long but at least they fit her waist. She rolled up the bottoms before shuffling into the bathroom.
Sure enough, there was a pink toothbrush there waiting for her. She didn't even know why she felt so happy when she picked it up.
* * *
Not knowingwhat Melody actually liked to eat, Kawan decided it was best to have a lot of options rather than making an omelet like he normally did for himself. Bacon, eggs, zucchini, pancakes, and a green smoothie. Which was actually three times the amount of food he normally made, but he found himself almost nervous.
It had been a while since he'd made breakfast for a woman. Even longer since he'd made it for a woman he wanted a relationship with.
Waking up Melody in his bed this morning had been supremely satisfying. He'd enjoyed seeing her burrowed into the sheets, looking soft, sweet, happily content and well-rested. Knowing he'd ensured a good night's sleep for her did something for him.
So did cooking for her.
Her phone went off again, buzzing inside of her purse. The urge to at least pick it up and see who was so insistent on getting in touch with her was hard to push down. Hopefully it wasn't an emergency. Although he couldn't think why else someone would be so insistent on talking to her.
It was a relief when he heard her footsteps on the stairs, making her way to the lower floor. The phone was starting to drive him a little nuts, no matter how amused he was by herBaby Sharkringtone, listening to it over and over again was an auditory version of hell.
"Your phone is going off again," he called out, keeping his eyes on the stove. Pancakes could burn quickly. He flipped the one currently in the pan onto the serving platter before pouring more batter onto the surface.
"That's my roommate's ringtone," she said, with a sigh in her voice, coming into the room. He glanced over his shoulder to see her putting her purse down on the counter and digging through it. "She's probably wondering where I am."
Kawan was enjoying the sight of her wearing his clothing so much that it took a moment for him to register exactly what she'd said. He scowled as soon as he did. She hadn't told her roommate that she wasn't coming home last night? Before they'd left Black Light, after she'd agreed to come home with him, she'd been on her phone for a few minutes, texting someone. He'd assumed she was doing the usual safety measure that women took when they were going home with someone new.
He didn't get the chance to ask her though, because she was already picking up the phone and putting it to her ear and crap! The pancake was burning.
"Hey, Pe... Peggy... Peggy...Peggy! I'm fine!" Melody went from sounding resigned to somewhat annoyed. Flipping the burned pancake into the trash, Kawan decided they had enough food anyway and started moving everything over to the breakfast bar on his counter where Melody had found a seat on one of the stools. She beamed at him as he moved toward her, and then stared at the platters of food he set down in front of her. Yeah, he might have gone a little overboard. "I'm sorry you were worried... No... I um, ended up going to a friend's house."
Unease shot through Kawan, stiffening his spine. Sometimes roommates weren't that close, but Melody had described Peggy as both her roommate and her best friend. Peggy was also the one who had brought Melody to Black Light with her, as a guest. So why was she lying to her best friend now?
She's not Krissy.
That was true. In fact, she was the opposite. Krissy had been thrilled to tell her friends all about him and all the things he did for her… bought for her… how she manipulated him with her requests. The person she’d lied to had been him.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel like it was a red flag. One that got his back up.
Was she ashamed of him?
He couldn't remember a time anyone had everhidhim from the people in their life. It was not a comfortable feeling.
Pressing his lips together, he started moving some of the food from the platters to the plate in front of her. While he'd meant to let her choose what she wanted to eat, he needed to be doing something, so that he didn't explode.
"I'll be home soon. No, seriously, Peggy, I'mfine.We can talk when I get back." She paused as Peggy said something to her. "I'm about to eat breakfast. I promise I'll come home immediately after."Although he couldn't make out what her friend actually said to her, he could hear the tone. Obviously her friend knew something was up and she didn't like it either. Melody sighed. "See you soon. Bye."
With a groan, she ended the call and put the phone on the counter, face down.
"So you didn't tell your roommate that you weren't coming home last night?" he asked.
* * *
Ah,crap on a microscope slide. Not literally, unlike at her day job. Examining fecal matter for bacteria was definitely preferable to the current shit show.
How was everything blowing up in her face so quickly?
Oh, right. Because she'd decided to lie to Peggy, go to Black Light on her own, and then go home with Kawan. She didn't regret any of those decisions, exactly, but every choice came with a consequence and that's what she was facing right now.
"No," she admitted, avoiding his eyes and staring down at her plate. It smelled amazing. And the pancakes looked... well, they looked like a very familiar shape. "Did you make the pancakes into Micky Mouse's head on purpose?"
"Yes. Why didn't you tell your roommate where you were? Did you tellanyonewhere you were?" He did not sound happy at all.
